Chasing the Sun
by ThiefofSong
Summary: From the moment any cat is born until the day they die, all they want is to be the best they can be. Minkkit, a young RiverClan she-cat, wants just the same. After being apprenticed, however, she discovers that not everything is as simple as her dream.
1. Allegiances and Chapter 1 - Not Alone

**AN: Hey, all! I hope you enjoy the rewritten version of what has already been written of Chasing the Sun. I know that I, myself, prefer the rewritten version over the old. I hope you all will, too!  
**  
 **As a side note, I'm accepting OCs for Twolegplace cats - only Twolegplace cats. If you have one you'd like to be in the story, send it via a review or PM. (:**

* * *

 **RIVERCLAN**

 _ **9 toms, 13 she-cats**_

 **LEADER:** Reedstar(heart) - a slender golden brown tomcat with copper colored eyes.

 **DEPUTY:** Cloudface - a pretty, fluffy light gray she-cat with golden eyes. (silverpaw)

 **MEDICINE CAT:** Clovertail - pale ginger she-cat with light yellow-green eyes.

 **WARRIORS:**

Goosefur - light gray-brown tom with blue eyes.

Rushfang - golden brown tom with amber eyes.

Brightnose - slender mostly white she-cat with dark ginger patches and pale yellow eyes (tansypaw)

Otterclaw - dark brown tom with a creamy white underbelly. copper colored eyes. cedarstripe's brother.

Cedarstripe - dark brown tom with yellow eyes and distinctive tabby markings. otterclaw's brother. (mate - cindercloud)

Heroncloud - gray and white she-cat with yellow eyes.

Mudstripe - large dark brown tom with darker brown distinctive tabby markings

Waspwhisker - bright ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Miststream - pale gray she-cat with slightly darker gray tabby markings. sister to birchtail and frostfoot (shellpaw)

Birchtail - pale gray tabby tom with orange eyes. brother to frostfoot and miststream.

Frostfoot - pale gray tom with light yellow eyes. (brother to birchtail and miststream)

Stormclaw - dark gray tom with amber eyes. very good fighter. (mate: rainfur) (cypresspaw)

 **APPRENTICES:**

Silverpaw (Silverheart) - blue-gray mackerel tabby tom with amber eyes.

Cypresspaw (Cypressclaw) - dark ginger tabby tom with green eyes.

Shellpaw (Shellstream) - very light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes. (tansyflower's sister)

Tansypaw (Tansyflower) - golden-furred she-cat with yellow eyes. (shellstream's sister)

 **QUEENS:**

Dappleflower - tortoiseshell she-cat with copper colored eyes (mate: birchtail) (kits - Minnowkit/Maplekit)

Rainfur - blue-gray she-cat dappled with darker blue-gray patches. golden eyes. (mate: stormclaw) (kits: duskkit)

Cindercloud - gentle and extremely patient dappled gray she-cat with golden eyes. (mate: cedarstripe) (kits: smokekit, eelkit and minkkit)

 **KITS:**

Smokepaw (smokecloud) - pale grey she-cat w/ a white underbelly and paws. orange eyes.

Eelkit (eelclaw)- dark brown shecat with a light cream underbelly. golden eyes.

Minkkit (minkheart) - light tawny brown she-cat w a white muzzle. white fades down onto throat, blending in w the tawny brown. pale golden eyes.

Duskkit (duskwhisker) - a dark tabby gray tom with golden colored eyes.

Maplekit(maplestripe) - a light brown and ginger she-cat with dark brown/black marbling. minnowkit's sister

Minnowkit (minnowtail)- a slender light gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes. maplekit's sister.

 **ELDERS:**

Pebbleface - very small, very pretty gray she-cat with golden eyes.

Swanclaw - large white tom with pale yellow/green eyes. (palefurs mate stormclaws father))

Palefur - very pale gray she-cat with faint tabby markings, pale green eyes. (swanclaws mate stormclaws mother)

* * *

 _ **SHADOWCLAN**_

 _ **7 toms, 11 she-cats**_

 **Leader:** Sootstar - very dark dappled gray tom. orange eyes.

Deputy:

Ravenfur - black she-cat with a white splash of fur on her chest. pale green eyes.

 **Medicine Cat:** Batheart - dark reddish-brown tom with yellow eyes. (apprentice - Spottedpaw)

 **Warriors**

Spidertail - brown brindled she-cat with golden eyes. (lizardpaw's mother)

Foxclaw - reddish-brown tom with green eyes. (nightflower's mate)

Blackfur - black tom with yellow eyes. (nightflower's brother, ashheart's father, pineclaw's mate)

Nightflower - black she-cat with yellow eyes. (blackfur's sister, foxclaw's mate)

Ratnose - brown tom with green eyes (apprentice - lizardpaw)

Pineclaw - blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes. (ashheart's mother, blackfur's mate)

Snakefang - light brown tabby tom, yellow eyes.

Littlenose - small pale gray she-cat with light green eyes. (apprentice - ashpaw)

 **Apprentices**

Ashpaw(ashheart) - dark gray she-cat with yellow eyes. (littlenose's apprentice, Pineclaw and blackfur's daughter)

Lizardpaw (lizardstripe) - golden brown tom with distinctive tabby markings. green eyes.(spidertail's apprentice, spidertail's son)

Spottedpaw (spottedface) - pretty brown and orange dappled she-cat with green eyes. (batheart's apprentice, hazelstream's apprentice)

 **Queens**

Darkfur - dark brown she-cat, copper eyes (mother of swiftkit and beetlekit)

 **Kits**

Swiftkit (swifttail) - dusky brown she-cat with with a white splash on her chest. golden eyes. (darkfur's daughter) (beetlekit's sister)

Beetlekit (beetlefoot) - quick dark brown tom with orange eyes (darkfur's son) (swiftkit's brother)

 **Elders**

Hazelstream - light brown she-cat with green eyes.(spottedface's mother)

* * *

 _ **THUNDERCLAN**_

 _ **7 toms, 9 she-cats**_

 **Leader:** Sandstar (Sandheart) - pale golden-pelted she-cat with copper colored eyes.

 **Deputy:** Smallstorm - small light gray tom-cat with green eyes. (willowcloud's brother)

 **Medicine Cat:** Wrenfoot - very small brown tabby she-cat with orange eyes.

 **Warriors:**

Specklefur - pale ginger she-cat with darker ginger speckles on her paws and back. pale green eyes. (dovepaw)

Honeynose - she-cat with warm, light golden brown pelt with green eyes. (acornfoot's sister)

Acornfoot - small golden brown tom with golden-brown fur and green eyes. (honeynose's brother)

Sparrowclaw - brown tabby tom w/ a lighter brown underbelly. yellow eyes. (willowcloud's mate)

Boulderstep - a large gray tom-cat with orange eyes. (bluefang's brother)

Bluefang - blue-gray tom w orange eyes (boulderstep's brother) (oakpaw)

Owlface - pretty light brown she-cat with a creamy underbelly and dark amber eyes (briarstripe's sister)

Briarstripe - large brown tom with distinctive tabby markings. amber eyes. (owlface's brother)

Thrushfur - she-cat with a gray-brown pelt, golden eyes

 **Queens**

Willowcloud - heavily pregnant gray she-cat with yellow eyes. (smallstorm's brother, sparrowclaw's mate)

 **Kits**

None as of right now

 **Apprentices**

Oakpaw - brown tom with green eyes

Dovepaw - light gray-brown she-cat with orange eyes

 **Elders  
** Fawnfoot - light brown she-cat with very, very faint tabby markings. copper-colored eyes.

* * *

 **WINDCLAN**

 **9 toms, 9 shecats**

 **Leader:** Rabbitstar(storm) - light brown tabby she-cat, has a white tail and legs

 **Deputy:** Cherryclaw - dark ginger she-cat with a lighter face, yellow eyes.

 **Medicine Cat:** Sheepfur - fluffy white tom. dark amber eyes and a few grey toes. (lavenderpaw)

 **Warriors:**

Owleye - reddish-brown tabby tom. his left eye has been damaged

Oatwhisker - pale ginger tom with blue eyes and a white muzzle

Rookpelt - black tom with golden eyes

Sagenose - pale gray she-cat with a faint tabby pattern. (hailpaw)

Dandelionstorm - pale ginger-and-white she-cat. orange eyes.

Willowfang - gray tabby tom. white chest and back paws. (briarpaw)

 **Apprentices:**

Hailpaw(fur) - gray-and-white tom

Lavenderpaw(tail) - pale gray she-cat with darker gray patches

Briarpaw(nose) - brown-and-white she-cat with a pink nose. yellow eyes.

 **Queens:**

Dustflower - brown tabby she-cat. (icekit and oakkit's mother)

Spiderclaw - black she-cat with a dark gray underbelly. tall. (pregnant)

 **Kits:**

Icekit(fang) - white tom with a gray patch on his flank.

Oakkit(flower) - reddish-brown tabby she-cat. her tabby stripes are more blocky.

 **Elders:**

Larkpelt - brown tabby tom, missing patches of fur here and there.

Shrewfoot - mottled brown and gray tom

* * *

 **TWOLEGPLACE CATS**

 **11 toms, 15 she-cats**

 **Leader-** Ebony - black she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Seconds-in-Command**

Talon - large dark brown tabby tom with yellow-green eyes. claw and red's brother

Claw - large dark brown tabby tom with yellow eyes. talon and red's brother

Red - slender ginger tabby she-cat w a white underbelly and green eyes (takes after dead mother). talon and claw's sister

 **Followers**

Blaze - bright ginger tom, green eyes. yew's brother

Yew - bright ginger tom with a white patch on his right shoulder. green eyes. blaze's brother

Dapple - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes. pepper's mother

Thistle - huge light brown tabby tom with white paws. amber eyes

Pepper - sassy, small light brown she-cat with even lighter brown splatters and patches. also has darker brown splatters/patches, amber eyes. dapple's daughter.

Sage - quiet white she-cat with one blue eye and one green eye. has a black smudge on her muzzle w/ two tiny spots on either side of her nose and a ginger tail ringed with black.

Dawn - mottled light ginger, dark ginger, and brown tabby she-cat with yellow-green eyes.

Cliff - large light brown tabby tom with green eyes

Silver - silver tabby tom with orange eyes (opal's mate)

Tinsel - dark gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes. twilla's sister

Twilla - small gray she-cat, blue eyes. tinsel's sister

Saxon - dark ginger tom, green eyes (marley's brother)

Marley - ginger she-cat with a white chest and paws, pale green eyes. (saxon's sister)

Trick - shortfurred silver tabby tom with orange eyes and a very light gray, nearly white underbelly (silver and opal's kit from first litter. only survivor of that litter. kita/mara's older brother)

Gem - pretty white she-cat with green eyes

Lucky - ginger-and-white tom missing half his tail

Jax - dark gray tom with one white paw

Spring - black-and-white she-cat, long legs

Marco - brown tabby tom

Clover - white cat with gray legs

Viola - black she-cat with amber eyes

Rolo - ginger tom with copper-colored eyes

Oreo - black and white she-cat with pale yellow/green eyes

 _ **Queens**_

Opal - longfurred white she-cat with bright ginger patches. pale yellow green eyes (silver's mate, tara's sister, Kita/Mara/Trick's mother)

Pebble - blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes. (mother of autumn, bark, and petal)

Tara - longfurred ginger she-cat w/ white chest and underbelly, pale green eyes. (opal's sister, thistle's mate, heavily pregnant )

 **Kits**

Kita - longfurred white she-cat with a ginger paw (right front). pale yellow eyes. (silver and opal's kit. mara/trick's sister) (nearly apprentice age)

Mara - shortfurred silver tabby she-cat with orange eyes (silver and opal's kit. kita/trick's sister) (nearly apprentice age)

Autumn - blue-gray she-cat with pale green eyes (pebble's daughter, bark/petal's sister)

Bark - dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes (pebble's son, autumn/petal's sister)

Petal - pale gray she-cat with amber eyes (pebble's daughter, bark/autumn's sister)

* * *

 ** _Chapter 1 - Not Alone_**

"With our apprentice ceremonies all comin' up, I was thinkin' about the future and was just wondering… What's the first thing you guys are gonna do when you become a warrior?"

The sounds of the other kits chatting amongst themselves reached Minkkit from where she lay across the clearing. Stretched out in a shady area by the reeds, cooler than she'd be if she were out in the sun as they were, she was content to listen to her friends and siblings as they told each other of what brave things they would eventually do. One of her sisters, Eelkit, was rather excitedly going on about how she'd show what a good warrior she'd be by immediately going out and patrolling the borders after her vigil - she wouldn't even sleep beforepaw!

Her other sister, Smokekit - always the quieter of the three, and always thinking of others - said that that probably wasn't the best idea. That it was probably a little dangerous and, well, stupid of her to patrol after a night spent not sleeping. The others - Duskkit, Maplekit, and Minnowkit - giggled at Eelkit, who huffed and said she didn't care what they thought.

"Well, what are you going to do, Smokekit?" Eelkit challenged, her golden eyes narrowing sharply.

"Sleep." She said, and every cat - their mothers included, laying a few tail-lengths away sharing tongues with each other - laughed. "After that, I'll go patrolling, help with the hunting… You know. Warrior stuff."

The other kits mewed their agreement, and before long, began to look for their last group member. Duskkit spotted her first and bounded over to her, small paws kicking up dust as he ran. He stopped a few pawsteps away, grinning.

"C'mon, Minkkit! Join us! Tell us what you're going to do!" His voice was so purely excited that Minkkit caved in, hauling herself to her paws and following the tom as he padded back to their little group.

"So, we've heard what everyone else wants to do. What about you, love?" Her mother, Cindercloud, asked her.

"I don't know," Minkkit replied, her head tilted to the side thoughtfully. "I mean, I guess I want to do whatever is needed. Like, if I need to go on a border patrol, or someone needs an extra cat for a hunting patrol, I'll do that. But what if Clovertail needs help gathering herbs? Or what if one of the queens wants to take a walk or join a patrol of her own, but she doesn't want to leave her kits? I feel like I should do what is needed of me, no matter if it's not actual warrior stuff."

"That seems like a good idea, too." Eelkit said, but then her eyes lit up and she grinned. "Wouldn't border trouble on your first day as an official warrior be great though?"

"Great in what way?" Smokekit said, her fur bristling in alarm. "You could get really hurt, and your first day would be totally ruined!"

"But it would have been worth it. I would have gotten to fight!" Eelkit shot back, looking rather smug.

"I don't really think getting into a scuffle with an enemy patrol should be your first priority as a warrior, dear." Cindercloud said, whiskers twitching in amusement though her voice was stern.

"But mom, it'd be so cool!" The little dark brown she-cat said, bouncing on her paws.

"And I could lose one of my little girls. I would rather not. I love you; I'd rather not mourn your loss on a day when I should be proudest of you." Her mother shot back, looking upon her daughter with fond sadness. Minkkit knew that, out of her three daughters, Cindercloud worried for Eelkit the most. While Minkkit herself, and especially Smokekit, thought things through a little more before doing something, Eelkit didn't really do that. Her sister loved to rush into things - and, because of that, got into trouble a lot.

"You aren't ever gonna lose me. You're not gonna lose any of us. We're gonna be the best warriors, right, guys?" Eelkit whirled around, setting her gaze first on Minkkit and then on Smokekit.

"Mhm!" Minkkit said, jumping to her paws and padding over to rub her cheek lovingly against her mother's, light tawny brown against dappled gray. Smokekit joined her, craning her neck so that she could lick Cindercloud's right on the nose. "We aren't going anywhere."

"I wish my kits showed me that kind of love," one of the other queens, Dappleflower, grumbled, though she was grinning at her kits. Maplekit and Minnowkit, the youngest of the group, leaped to their paws with shocked expressions on their faces.

"How could you say that, mama?" Minnowkit asked, her blue eyes flashing with hurt. "We love you! You know that, right?!"

"We do! Well, at least I do, I don't know about her, but -" Maplekit rambled, earning a sharp jab in the side and a 'Hey!' from Minnowkit. Dappleflower laughed, along with the other queens.

"Kits, I was kidding!" She said, unable to stop giggling. "I know you love me! I would never think you didn't."

"Oh." The duo said together, looking relieved.

"Yeah, we all love you. You're like younger siblings to us!" Minkkit added. "You and your sister Maplekit and that fishbrain over there, Duskkit, you're our bestest friends!"

Minnowkit looked at her paws for a moment, shuffling them in embarrassment. "Really? You like us that much?"

"You're darn right we do." Eelkit said, nudging the younger she-cat with a forepaw. "RiverClan cats, we stick together for life. No goin' back from that!"

"Oh… I'm sorry for thinking that maybe you didn't." Minnowkit said, with Maplekit nodding alongside her. "It's just… Sometimes it doesn't seem that way, 'cause everyone is so excited over you guys being apprentices soon."

"What?" Minkkit looked at her small friend in confusion. "Just because we're older and we're gonna be apprentices soon doesn't mean anyone loves you less! If anything, they'll love you more, 'cause you'll be the only babies soon!"

Minnowkit sighed, not looking at any cat. "Not sure that's really a compliment… But thanks for trying Minkkit. I - well, we, I think-" Maplekit snorted here, but nodded vigorously in agreement. "We love you all, too."

"Good. We all need to stick together! We're gonna be warriors together one day! We can't start off hating each other!" Eelkit mewed, repeating somewhat the things she'd said earlier.

The gray tabby grinned at Eelkit, looking at least a little more happier than she had before. "Thanks, guys. I know that, no matter what, we'll always get through anything together."


	2. Chapter 2 - Ready or Not

_**AN: I'm so sorry I haven't updated in forever. Life got, ah... Interesting, to say the least. Sudden issues w/ family and school kind of forced me to throw this on the backburner. :/ I finally got this out, and it's fairly long, so I hope that makes up for it a little bit?**_

 _ **Also, I mentioned at one point that this would be very similar to the old story, just written better. What I should have said is that small bits will be similar, but overall the story will be different in a lot of ways. :')**_

 _ **Thank you for the support!**_  
 _ **-Song**_

* * *

Minkkit awoke early the morning of her apprentice ceremony, slipping out of the nursery without alerting her mother and sisters and their denmates. She felt extremely groggy - sleep had not been kind to her - and her fur stuck up at odd angles everywhere. She'd been worried about a variety of things - who would her mentor be? Would she please them as their apprentice? Would she be a good enough warrior for RiverClan? - and because of this, had tossed and turned all night long.

In an attempt to cast her mind elsewhere, Minkkit looked toward Silverpelt - or, rather, what was left of it. To the east, where she was told WindClan lived on their moors, the sun was beginning to rise - she could tell because it had begun to paint the brightening sky with various shades of orange and pink, leaving behind only the brightest stars. It would've been a promise for a beautiful day, had she not scented the air and found that it held rain. She couldn't see the clouds from where she sat, but it was there, strong and clear.

It wasn't really that she hated rain… She just preferred to have it on any day _but_ her apprentice ceremony.

"Today of _all_ days…" She grumbled. Too busy muttering to herself about the stupid rain and how it just _had_ to mess things up, and also too busy fixing her wild mess of fur, she failed to notice the tom whom had come to sit beside her, quietly wrapping his tail around his paws. He was looking at her through the corner of his eye, a slight curl on his muzzle denoting a smirk.

"Minkkit," He said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "What are you doing up this early?"

She whirled to the right as quick as she could, her eyes wide. "Papa?"

It was, indeed, him. He looked at her through yellow eyes - almost like her own, though hers were of a more golden hue - that now shone with curiosity. She looked sheepishly at him, unsure of how to answer at first, but then she sighed.

"I couldn't really sleep," She confessed, looking at her paws. "I'm scared."

Glancing back up at him, she could see that Cedarstripe looked taken aback. It was normally Smokekit to feel like how Minkkit felt currently, not her sisters.

"Why ever do you feel like that, bug?" He asked, pulling her closer to him with an outstretched foreleg. She hid her face in the thick fur on his chest, taking comfort in the scent she knew only as his 'papa scent.' "What could possibly have my brave little kit feeling like this?"

"I'm - I'm not sure if I'm ready. What if I'm not a good apprentice? What if I'm not good at fighting, or what if I'm not good at hunting? What if - what if -"

Her father cut her off, his voice cutting through her ramble like a thorn-sharp claw. "What's the matter with you? Not too long ago you, Eelkit and even Smokekit were excited over becoming warriors!"

"Yeah, I know, but that's because our ceremony wasn't the next _day_ , it was the next _moon_!" Minkkit whined, curling tighter against Cedarstripe. "I just want to do good, papa. I want to make you and mama and Eelkit and Smokekit and my mentor proud."

"Oh, bug." He whispered. Carefully untangling himself from his daughter, whom was sniffling sadly, he sat a few kitten-steps away. Lifting a forepaw, he touched it to her chin, raising her head so that her eyes met his. "I will _always_ be proud of you. I love you. Your mother would never be disappointed in you either; she loves you just as much as I do. All we want is for you to try your best. You don't have to be the best warrior in the Clan to be the best in our eyes."

Smiling sadly, Minkkit let out a raspy-sounding purr. "S-so even if I don't do good, you won't be mad?"

"If you aren't at least trying you're hardest, I will be." Cedarstripe said, than added, "But if I know you're really trying and it just isn't coming to you like it does some cats, I can't and would never be angry at you for that. In fact… Care to know a little known fact about your old dad and your mother?"

"Yeah, sure." Minkkit answered immediately, sitting up a little straighter. She loved hearing stories from when her parents were younger, and her sadness wouldn't change that.

"Well, when I was still an apprentice, my hunting skills… They were deplorable. I couldn't catch a mouse, or a bird, or anything! I was terrible." He chuckled, watching Minkkit's eyes grow wide.

"But you always bring us home something when you go on patrol! You can't be _that_ bad!"

"I'm not as bad I was then, though." He said, seeming to cringe. "I don't even like to think of how it must of been to hunt with me! But…"

"But what?" Minkkit asked, leaning forward, eager for the answer.

"Well, your mother, the Clan knows her for being kind and incredibly patient and all that, right?" She nodded. "She's also a _fantastic_ hunter. I almost think her name should've been something like Cinderwhisker, because it would tell of how good she is. I told her that once, actually. She told me she preferred Cindercloud - it has a better ring to it."

"I like Cindercloud better too. Plus, your names sound good together." Minkkit chimed in, smiling a little wider. "Cinderwhisker and Cedarstripe sounds a little weird, but Cindercloud and Cedarstripe… I like that tons better!"

Cedarstripe smiled, too. "So do I. Anyways, she was younger than me by a few moons, so by the time I was nearing my warrior ceremony, she was about… I don't know, I'd say 10 moons old? But there was no doubt, she was better than I could ever hope to be at hunting. My mentor, Goosefang, he loved me like a son, but he said that if I couldn't shape up with my own hunting, he might have to delay my ceremony."

"He _couldn't_!" Minkkit exclaimed, her fur bristling in fear. "That's…"

"What might happen if you don't do well enough on your assessment. It isn't a punishment. It's more rather to make sure you're fully ready to be a warrior. Of course, I didn't really understand that at the time, either, and so I panicked, unsure of what I was going to do. Your mother came to me then, I guess having overheard my conversation with Goosefang. She came, hardly knowing me past sharing a den with me when we were kits and then again as apprentices. She said that she wasn't going to watch me being a lumbering idiot anymore."

His daughter looked ready to interrupt, but he raised a paw for silence and she complied.

"She told me that she would help me learn to hunt better, and that if I failed my warrior assessment after getting _her_ help, that she would talk to Icestar - the leader before Reedstar, you remember her from the stories, right? - and have her exile me. I didn't believe her at first, because how could I believe such a cat could become so snappy and mean in my situation? After how hard she began to work me - I would train with Goosefang until the sun began to go down, and then with her after until moonhigh - I realized that maybe she wasn't joking."

"And…?" The light tawny brown kit was kneading the ground underpaw, her fur still fluffed up in fear as though she expected the story to take some awful turn.

"She wasn't fully pleased with my progress until the night before my assessment. She said that she believed I could do it, and the look in her eyes… The way she looked at me… That was when I knew I loved your mother. My assessment became not just about becoming a warrior and making myself, my mentor and the Clan proud. It became about making _her_ proud. And proud I made her. I made it through my hunting assessment with four fish and a couple of mice. From then on, I was the hunter you know today."

"Wow! So if mama hadn't helped you, you would've not been a warrior?" Minkkit asked, perplexed about the whole thing. She just _couldn't_ see her father being anything _but_ a warrior.

"Not for awhile longer, anyway. The point I'm trying to make here, though, is that I was scared at one point, too. I felt like I was falling, like I would never become the sort of cat I wanted to be. Everything happens for a reason, though, bug, and you'll make it through, even if you need a little nudge in the right direction."

"What's this? A little father-daughter pre-ceremony talk?" A warm purr from behind them caused them to turn, their sights landing on Cindercloud herself, as well as two sleepy-looking sisters.

"I was just telling Minkkit that she has no need to worry, and that even I needed you to kick my tail so that I could pass my assessment." Cedarstripe replied, standing and padding forward to meet his mate. He rubbed his cheek against hers and purred, too.

"It's true. He was lazy back then, at least when it came to hunting. He didn't understand the patience aspect of it and he'd always jump too early. I told him once that he was going to jump straight into an ear cuffing if he kept it up."

"I swear, my ears hurt for days after that." Cedarstripe chuckled, turning away from them. "I think Reedstar wanted to do your ceremony after the dawn patrol gets back. They should've left right before Minkkit came out, and we talked for a bit, but there's still time before they return. Get something to eat, then come find us after, alright?"

"Okay, papa. We love you!" The three kits mewed in unison, rubbing against him and purring before doing the same with their mother. They bounded to the fresh-kill pile where the prey from the previous day lay. Not much was left - a few small fish, a skinny mouse and a water vole, none of which appealed much to her - but she took her share anyway. Taking a small mouthful of the vole she'd grabbed and chewing it slowly, Minkkit wondered who their mentors would be.

Eelkit, it seemed, was thinking the same thing. "Who do you want for your mentors, guys? I kind of hope I get someone who's a good fighter... like Otterclaw! Have you seen his front claw swipe? He could take down a fox with just one of those!"

Rolling at her eyes at her sister's exaggeration, Smokekit mewed, "I don't know... Someone like Heroncloud maybe? She's really nice..."

"Maybe a little too nice for you. You need someone to teach you to be a little more wild, like me!" Eelkit said, giggling at herself. She had her fur puffed out, looking nearly twice her size, and her claws were unsheathed. "Plus, she's our grandmother. Reedstar wouldn't give any of us her as a mentor."

"That's true... I don't know who I'd want, really. Waspwhisker seems cool, and Birchtail… I wouldn't mind any of the choices we have, really." Minkkit replied thoughtfully. "All of the warriors seem really okay to me."

"Frostfoot is kind of scary, though." Smokekit seemed to shiver as she spoke. "He doesn't talk lots, and he kind of just… Watches cats. He's really weird."

"Or maybe you're just a scaredy-mouse!" Eelkit joked. While they ate, they continued to shoot insults at each other, often falling into fits of laughter. It took longer than it should have to finish their meal, but when they did, they fell into an apprehensive silence.

Surprisingly, Smokekit broke it first.

"We should go find mama and papa. They wanted us to come when we were done."

Uneasily, her sisters nodded, and together, they searched for their parents. They found them lounging in the shade of a tall clump of cattails, sharing tongues rather lazily. Cindercloud's gaze fell upon them as they approached.

"We were wondering if you'd remember. The patrol should be back soon, and we need to get you looking presentable." She said, getting to her paws. She appeared to be looking mostly in Eelkit's direction. The little brown she-cat stuck her tongue out in her mother's direction. Moments later, though, she let out a loud squeak as Cindercloud pulled her forward with a forepaw. She began to wash her, picking out the bits of moss that always seemed to be stuck in Eelkit's fur. This was not without a struggle - Eelkit hated anyone bathing her but herself.

Cedarstripe beckoned Minkkit forward, and after their earlier talk, she went willingly to him. After all, this must have been hard for her parents. They would no longer need to care for them every day as they had before, and that had to be a big change. He used long strokes with his tongue, working patches of fur that refused to lay flat until they complied, and Minkkit found herself purring softly. This reminded her of when she was younger, and when, more often than not, she and her sisters would be called to an evening grooming session. They hadn't had one in awhile, probably because they were nearly apprentices, and it soothed her nerves a bit to feel as though she were a little tiny kit again.

They stayed like this for a long while, with neither parent nor offspring saying anything. They reveled in their togetherness, even Eelkit, who gave up fighting her bath after a few sharp words from Cindercloud. They'd always be family, sure, but with Cedarstripe and Cindercloud going back to warrior duties and Minkkit and her sisters becoming apprentices, they wouldn't be able to be as close as before. The thought saddened Minkkit a little, but she knew that, despite everything, her parents would always be there for her, and that made everything just a bit better.

Cindercloud had just finished up with Smokekit when the dawn patrol returned, all saying things about how nasty the sky looked. The rainclouds that she'd smelled earlier had begun to roll in, bringing with it even stronger hints of the coming storm. Minkkit grimaced.

"Couldn't it hold off a little bit longer?" She asked no one in particular, though her mother chuckled softly.

"I don't know if I ever told you kits, but it rained the day I was made a warrior, from the beginning right through the time I was named and into the night! Icestar mentioned I could shelter in the reeds for my vigil, but I refused. I wanted to sit in the center of camp like a proper warrior did for their ceremony."

"Of course, she caught a chill after that." Heroncloud purred as she passed them, looking a little worn from the patrol. "She was stuck in Clovertail's den for a few days after sneezing her fool head off."

"Thank you for your kind words, mother." Cindercloud said, rolling her eyes in exasperation. The older gray-and-white she-cat's whiskers twitched in amusement before she smiled down at her grandkits.

"So, are you three ready?" She wondered, licking her chest to smooth the fur there after she'd spoken.

"Well, as ready as we can be." Eelkit replied. "I'm worried I won't get a mentor who's really good at fighting. I really want to learn to protect the Clan as best as I can!"

"Oh, you," Heroncloud said, flicking her with her tail. "You'll be wonderful whoever you get as your mentor. You're all intelligent young cats, and I have no doubt that you'll make me, your parents _and_ the entire Clan proud one day."

Almost as soon as she was done speaking, a yowl rang out across the clearing, and the kits' head snapped up, looking toward the High Mound. There sat Reedstar, his golden brown fur gleaming in a ray of sunlight that'd managed to break through the cloud cover above.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the High Mound for a Clan meeting!"

Instantly, Minkkit's breathing quickened. _It's time._

From behind them, Duskkit, Stormclaw and Rainfur exited the nursery. The little tom looked uncharacteristically clean like Eelkit - no doubt his mother's doing - and she had to suppress a laugh. He'd been born the same night she and her siblings had been, his birth brought on early due to the stress his mother had endured helping with Cindercloud's. He'd been a little small then, but by some miracle granted by StarClan, he was now bigger than Minkkit and her sisters. He'd always been a little on the rash side, and also pretty goofy. Seeing him look the _opposite_ did a fair amount to calm her fraying nerves.

The Clan gathered swiftly, forming a rough semicircle around where their leader was perched upon the stones. The kits' parents offered them smiles before turning, leading them toward the crowd. They settled at the front of it, waiting Reedstar to continue.

"It is at this time that I wish to perform the greatest ceremony allowed to a Clan leader - the making of kits into apprentices!" The tom's words caused the Clan to cheer loudly, and Minkkit felt Smokekit stiffen beside her, her fear scent drifting through the air, mixing with that of the rain. "Eelkit, Smokekit, Minkkit and Duskkit have all reached their sixth moon, and it's high time they begin training. Step forward, you four."

He leaped down, stirring up a bit of dust on the ground. Sending nervous glances at each other, they went forward as one. They stopped only tail-lengths from Reedstar. Minkkit shivered as the temperature dropped, seeming to harold in the light rain that began to fall around them.

"Otterclaw!" The dark brown tom straightened up, looking surprised at his name being mentioned. She wondered if Reedstar had decided to surprise his warriors with their apprentice assignments. "You are ready for an apprentice, I believe. You were taught well by the late Troutfur, and received excellent training. You've shown yourself to be both a loyal clanmate and a formidable opponent in battle. For this reason, I wish for you to be mentor to Eelpaw. I know you will pass on all the skill that you have obtained in your moons of life."

Otterclaw nodded resolutely. "Thank you, Reedstar. I will make sure she becomes just as good a warrior as me - if not better."

After the pair joined together and touched noses, they melded back into the crowd. Next, it was Minkkit's turn. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited, watching Reedstar's eyes as they scanned the crowd.

"Frostfoot, you might be one of the newest warriors we have, but I have no doubt that you will be a good mentor to Minkpaw. Your wit is unmatched, as is your swiftness and your ability to track. I think you'll do a fine job."

She heard Smokekit's sharp intake of breath from behind her as she padded forward to meet her new mentor. He had yet to speak but, as she approached, the pale gray tom nodded once at her, as though to reassure her. Before touching noses with her, he turned to Reedstar.

"I might not be the strongest of our cats," Frostfoot began, his voice as quiet and low as ever. He earned a few snickers from the crowd - no doubt his siblings, Birchtail and Miststream. He glared over his shoulder in their general direction and continued once they quieted. "But I do want to say that I will do what I can."

Reedstar smiled down at the young tom. "Thank you, Frostfoot. I know you will."

The ceremony continued, as did the rain. It came down, harder and harder, as both Smokepaw and Duskpaw were apprenticed to Waspwhisker and Rushfang respectively. The Clan seemed uneasy because of it, even while they chanted their new apprentices' names.

"Perhaps StarClan isn't pleased with this ceremony!" A cat called from behind them, and Minkpaw winced inwardly. What reason did StarClan have to be unhappy with them? What had they ever done to any cat?

Several others made noises of agreement, while Reedstar remained upon the High Mound, his eyes narrowed in frustration.

"RiverClan!" He yowled, cutting across the rising sounds of their fear and of the rain. "StarClan would never be upset because of an apprentice ceremony! How could they be? Apprentices are the future of the Clans! I refuse to believe that this storm is more than that, as should you. Mentors, if you still wish to take your apprentices out, do it before the storm gets worse, though it may be wiser to wait until later in the day. The rest of you, go on your assigned patrol or go to your den. That is all."

For a few moments, no cat moved. Then, the mentors sprang into action, gathering up the four young cats and herding them toward the apprentice's den. Frostfoot, Minkpaw noticed, was silent, unlike the other three. He simply gestured with his head to follow him, and, as she wanted to make him on her first day as an apprentice, she followed without delay.

"You'll have to steal a little moss from the other apprentices, guys." Waspwhisker said sheepishly. "I'd say we could take you out to get your own moss, but with this rain, it isn't really worth it. It'll just be all wet."

"Gee, y'think? You're such a mouse-brain." Shellpaw snorted, exiting the den in front of them.. "I brought some moss back with me after the dawn patrol. Tansypaw did, too. We smelled the rain, y'know?"

"What my dear sister is saying," Tansypaw said, following her sister out, "is that we figured it'd be nice of us to make you some nests. Shellpaw's not as mean as she lets on - this was her idea."

Minkpaw's eyes widened in surprise as Shellpaw let out an exaggerated sigh.

"I just didn't want to hear you whine about having hardly any nest to lay on while we're waiting out the storm. Miststream and Brightnose agreed that it'd be a good idea, so we got the moss and came home. They told us to make your nests while you were named and stuff. It's not as if I actually LIKE you." She grumbled, causing the siblings and Duskpaw to smile.

"Aw, we love you too, Shellpaw!" Duskpaw said, bouncing forward. He touched his nose to her cheek, earning a sharp hiss and a cuff over the ear from the light brown tabby.

"Don't touch me. Ever." She spat, whipping around and stalking away from the group. Duskpaw was left looking completely dumbfounded.

"I wouldn't spar with her for about a moon, if you can help it," Tansypaw meowed over her shoulder, starting after her sister. "'Cause I don't think she's gonna be real nice to ya."

"At least I'm not the mouse-brain anymore, I guess." Waspwhisker added cheekily, and Minkpaw was laughing again as Frostfoot nudged her shoulder with a paw.

"When the rain stops, come and find me." He muttered to her before turning and heading off out of camp. She was left dumbfounded. His words to Reedstar prior had been the most she'd ever heard him speak, with most of what he said being short and succinct. He seemed almost at odds with everyone, something that she didn't really quite understand. He was a warrior just like every other cat, and just as skilled, according to their leader. Why did he have to be that way?

Shaking her head, she entered the apprentice's den with the rest of her den mates, both old and new. For now, she decided, she would be happy about finally becoming an apprentice. Later was when she could focus on figuring out Frostfoot and his strange behavior.


	3. Chapter 3 - Wonder

**AN: Sorry it's been so long. ;_; AP classes don't exactly leave me much time or energy to write this, sadly. However, I've finally written** _ **something**_ **at least, so I hope you enjoy it! It's a lot shorter than last chapter, though. Sorry about that. :[**

 **Snowfall16: Yeah, I realized that after I'd already posted the chapter, but I didn't have the time to go back and fix it before, and honestly... I still don't with all my classes. :') Maybe one day, though... And thank you for the compliments! They mean so much to me. ;_;**

* * *

As Eelpaw left camp alongside her mentor, she couldn't help but pant. Though it was near leaffall, it seemed that greenleaf was not going out without a fight. It was blisteringly hot out, and it was only just past sunrise. It weighed on her thoughts some - she'd rather be laying in the shallows in one of the streams around camp rather then be out here - but, since she and Otterclaw were going out for training, she didn't mind much.

"So," Eelpaw wondered aloud, itching to get started. "What are we doing today?

"For right now, we're going to work on your hunting skills."

That stopped her in her tracks. _Hunting_? She had no patience for something like that! In the few days she'd been an apprentice, Eelpaw hadn't been able to talk to her sisters much. From what she understood, however, _they_ had toured the territory and learned the main landmarks and were now working on battle training! But here _she_ was, stuck _hunting_!

"Are you kidding me? _Why_? I want to learn to fight, to use my claws, to _defend my Clan_!" She groaned, sound all the part of a petulant kit. To his credit, the dark brown tom only chuckled.

"That you will. _Eventually._ Fighting isn't all about knowing the best moves or being the strongest, though that's what others will lead you to believe." He said, flicking his tail as a sign to sit. She did as told, looking at him curiously.

"What do you mean?" She wondered. "I've always been told that to be a good fighter you have to be knowledgeable and all of that."

"Sure, it helps," Otterclaw amended, "but that's not all there is to it. To be the absolute _best_ like I'm assuming you want to be," He paused for a moment, allowing her to nod vigorously, "then you need to know that fighting - and learning to fight, by extension - requires patience. You can't just go through a few training sessions and battles and say, 'I'm the greatest warrior there is! No one can stop me!' because, truth is, not having the patience to learn the way of the claw can get you killed just as easily as a deathberry's poison can. It's inevitable."

"And… And hunting is about patience." Eelpaw said, though several moments after Otterclaw had finished. She looked completely dumbfounded; she had never in her six moons thought of hunting like how her mentor had. "Hunting will teach me the patience I'll need to ultimately learn how to fight."

A wide grin appeared on his muzzle. "Exactly! I wonder… Can you tell me why it is that fighting requires patience in order to learn?" His eyes were wide and imploring, and Eelpaw suddenly felt a hint of nervousness enter her mind. She didn't want to give him the wrong answer! She wanted to prove that she could be everything it took to be the best warrior - and, hopefully, the best fighter.

"I… Well… It's because you need to not get frustrated when learning?" She winced as her statement came out sounding more like a question. Quickly, she added, "Because if you get that way, it might get in the way of how well you can focus and stuff, and you won't really be totally centered on getting the moves right."

"Perfect answer." He said with another toothy smile. "Now, we are RiverClan, of course, and that means a lot of the prey we catch is fish. We do hunt land prey, too, though. I'll give you the choice of which sort of hunting you'd like to learn first."

She stopped for a moment, cocking her head to the side. She got to choose? What even sounded the most interesting? Land hunting seemed so… Boring, she supposed. _River hunting does too, if I have to be honest with myself… and it's probably way harder!_

"I'll try land hunting, I guess. I don't think I'm ready for river hunting yet… I haven't even learned to swim!" Eelpaw replied sheepishly, to which Otterclaw chuckled.

"That'll be our next venture after learning this. I sometimes forget that cats aren't born knowing how to swim, because it came fairly naturally for me." The mug look on his face made Eelpaw roll her eyes. _I hadn't realized he was so self-centered!_

"First of all, let's see your crouch. We'll work up from there," Otterclaw said, the amused look dropping off of his face. He took on a more serious demeanor.

As told, Eelpaw shifted so that she was positioned low to the ground. Though she'd played with her sisters and crouched before a lot of jumps, it was the inexperienced work of a kit, and she'd never really practiced. Doing it now, for real, felt strange for some reason. Strange, but also good; she was finally on her way to being the cat she wanted to be.

"Not _too_ terrible, I suppose…" He muttered to himself, reaching out with a paw to tap her lower back once. "But keep your rump tucked in a little more. Tail down, too."

As she made these changes, Eelpaw heard him make a quiet _tsk, tsk_ noise. Her ears folded back against her head in embarrassment.

"Rump tucked _in_ , I said, not out!" He corrected, sliding into a crouch in front of her. He did it with such ease that it made Eelpaw feel a little silly. This was the _easy_ stuff! She should've been able to do this no problem!

"Sorry, Otterclaw!" She said quickly, attempting to fix her posture. Her tail was down low, and she was sure her paws were spaced evenly. Another exasperated grunt came from his direction, though, and Eelpaw sighed in frustration. What had she done wrong? Why couldn't she get this right?

"Alright, let's try this; I'll crouch slowly so that you can watch. Pay close attention to how my paws are placed, my stance, _everything_." He offered, seemingly beating back his vague annoyance with her. Very, very slowly, he slid forward, dropping into the crouch once more. His tail was close to the ground, hovering just above the grass so that it wouldn't brush it and alert potential prey. His rump was, indeed, tucked into the rest of his body. His muscles were tensed; he was ready to spring.

 _Okay_ , Eelpaw thought to herself. _This isn't hard… I can do this!_ With her mind focused on copying Otterclaw's pose exactly, she tried again. At first, she felt that her paw positioning was off, and quietly she shifted so that it was more on point. When she was done, she waited with baited breath; had she done it right this time? With her first two attempts being not good, Eelpaw didn't feel that confident in her ability.

To her surprise, however, her mentor let out a _mrrow_ of approval.

"Much better! You tucked in a lot more and you even corrected your paws! Tail looked good, too. You learn fairly quickly, it seems." Otterclaw nodded at her, and seemingly instantly, a new boost of energy flowed through her; it felt good to be able to do something, though she'd had trouble at first. He had her practice awhile longer, making minor adjustments that made her muscles ache - she wasn't use to holding a position for so long - before saying that they were going to move on to the real thing.

"Now," Otterclaw began, "What sort of land prey does RiverClan typically hunt?"

"Uhh…" Eelpaw racked her brain for a few moments, and then, "Mice, water vole, sometimes water birds if we can manage to get 'em… Oh, rabbits too. Mother would tell us that the faster cats would catch 'em if they wandered over from WindClan territory."

"Right you are," Otterclaw said, "Though not all RiverClan cats can catch them. Sometimes they can outrun us because we tend to be a bit more stocky than the typical Clan cat. Your sister's mentor, Frostfoot, though - he's fast, and his hunting ability is really something when it comes to rabbits."

Hearing praise for Frostfoot was vaguely odd for Eelpaw. More often than not, it seemed most cats didn't bother with him, though she didn't know why. He was fast and apparently a good hunter, so why not use him more?

True to her forward nature, Eelpaw found herself blurting out, "Why does it seem like a lot of cats ignore him except for his siblings?"

Genuine surprise colored her mentor's expression. Several heartbeats passed before he shrugged. "Honestly? I don't really know. I think he prefers to be left alone most of the time. He doesn't really seem to have an issue with Miststream and Birchtail, but… He's always just been a little aloof with everyone."

Daring to go a little farther, she asked, "Do you… Do you think he'll be a good mentor to Minkpaw? I mean… I dunno, as her sister I'm a little worried that maybe they won't mix well, y'know? Like, she's awful friendly, though so determined to do stuff that she gets down on herself real easy. D'ya think he'll be able to deal with that?"

"Only time will tell, Eelpaw. For now, though, you just need to focus on yourself. If she comes to you about it, then you can take it upon yourself to try and help her work through her problems. That isn't me giving you express permission to cause issues for Frostfoot, either." Otterclaw said with a stern look.

"I know, I know." She grumbled in reply, ears folded back slightly. "I _can_ think, despite what some cats might think!"

He gave her a reassuring smile, adding, "I know you're not all rash thinking; that's what this hunting trip is about, you know. Helping you realize that. Enough of the talk about other cats for now, though; we've got prey to catch, and we can't spend all day worrying about what may happen and what they're doing."

Nodding, Eelpaw padded after him when he flicked his tail for her to follow. Though he'd said not to worry, she couldn't help but do so.

 _It's easier said than done, Otterclaw! I just want my sister to become the cat she wants to be… What if Frostfoot can't help her be that cat? What'll she do than?_


	4. Chapter 4 - Stillness

**_AN: Sorry I haven't updated CtS in so long. u_u I've been extremely busy with AP classes, and my laptop recently got pretty messed up (keys weren't working, so I couldn't type anything really, including school work). Good news is that I have a new laptop now, so hopefully everything will update a little more often. :')_**

 _ **Sorry this is so short... I just wanted to get something out so that it wasn't as if I'd given up on the story and what not. Thank you to Snowfall16 for your reviews, and wondering if I was going to keep up with this. It made me realize and remember that even when a writer is not totally about what they're writing and they think that they're not doing so well, there's always someone out there excited to read what the writer has to add to their story. xoxo**_

 _ **Thank you for being so patient, and I hope you enjoy a little Smokepaw. ;_; - Song**_

* * *

In the apprentice's den, Smokepaw's favorite time was arguably when all of the others were asleep and she, wrapped in the warmth and security of being with her litter and denmates, could finally let herself calm down. She could never be sure of why she was so bottled up during the day when she was out with Waspwhisker, or why being around other cats sometimes made her freeze, but her mind was taking the brunt of the abuse from such feelings. While her body was receiving taking the physical damage, the mental strain she was unwittingly putting herself under that seemed to slow her reflexes and soften her blows, and to impair her hunting ability, continually tired her out as well. Smokepaw thought that she'd never been so exhausted, and she was sick of it.

And yet, thinking about changing her ways terrified her. She didn't know how to change. What could she do to change? How would other cats react to a different Smokepaw? Would her friends still like her? Would her family still love her?

 _This is what they're talking about, Smokepaw!_ A little voice in the back of her mind said in exasperation; if she hadn't known any better, she would have thought that it belonged to Eelpaw. Maybe Eelpaw was, in some small way, her conscience.

 _Maybe they're right?_ Smokepaw wondered to herself, glancing to either side of her nest to look fondly at either sibling. Eelpaw was lying belly-up, her front legs folded back into her chest, while Minkpaw was laying curled up in a tight ball, tail over her nose. Smokepaw loved them both, and she was sure they loved her as well, but she wasn't sure how they dealt with her ever-present fear of certain things. She'd been as she was since she was a kit. Surely they got tired of it sometimes?

She didn't have long to ponder these things, however; a sound from outside of the den caught her attention. As it approached, it became clear that the sound was that of pawsteps. Not long after, the mentor she'd been thinking of just a little while before poked his head in through the den's entrance.

"Up and at 'em, Smokepaw." He whispered to her upon noticing that she was already awake. "We've got a full day of battle practice planned alongside the other mentors and apprentices. Reedstar's orders. Wake the rest of them, won't you?"

The devilish grin he flashed her way before slipping away was not lost on her, and inwardly, she groaned. Every cat in camp knew how her sister, as well as Shellpaw, hated to be woken up, especially this early. They were angrier than a pair of badgers, and to be on the receiving end of their rage upon being woken…

Perhaps Waspwhisker hated her. That had to be it. There was _absolutely_ no other explanation for doing something this cruel.

Deciding Minkpaw was the closest cat to her that was unlikely to kill her for doing this, she got to her paws as quietly as possible and prodded her shoulder gingerly. It took a few moments, but eventually her tail flicked out from in front of her eyes and they blinked open.

"What… What's up, Smokepaw?" She asked, though her voice was hardly more than a tired whisper.

"W-Waspwhisker said to get you all up. Reedstar wants us for training."

With narrowed eyes, Minkpaw glanced toward the den entrance. No light has managed to shine through it yet, nor had it been able to make it through the weaker parts of the den walls. "Is the sun even up yet?"

Smokepaw swallowed uneasily. "I don't know. If it's not, it should be soon. They probably want to give us time to eat, you know?"

With a sigh, Minkpaw got to her paws. "It's way too early for this, I think. Whatever though, I guess; I'll get Eelpaw and Shellpaw for you. Get the toms and Tansypaw."

StarClan had smiled on her in the form of her sister. The toms weren't pleasant to wake either, but they were certainly less terrifying than an angry Shellpaw.

"Thanks, Minkpaw." She whispered back warmly, Minkpaw responding with a light purr. With that, they set about waking up their denmates.

The only issue that Duskpaw gave her at first was a sharp growl of annoyance in her direction. True, it spooked her a little, but it was much better than the paw to the face that Minkpaw had received from Eelpaw upon waking her. The other issue was that he tried to go back to sleep, claiming that he didn't care if he got eighty moons of den cleaning duty, he just wanted to nap a little longer. She would have jabbed him herself if Eelpaw hadn't stalked over and grumpily stomped on his tail.

"Look, fish-brain, if I've got to be out of my nest because Reedstar's eaten something bad and went a little odd, then so do you. Get your butt up before I _make_ you get up!" She hissed in his ear, and though he groaned, Duskpaw obeyed her orders without question.

Silverpaw was much easier to rouse, more than likely due to him being a morning sort of cat, like Smokepaw herself. He gave her a little half smile as he blinked open his eyes and recognized her, a sign of his ever present friendliness. Over the other apprentices, except for her sisters, Smokepaw thought that he was probably her favorite, aside from Tansypaw; both were really caring, sweet cats that didn't seem capable of doing any cat harm, verbally at least. She preferred their more laid-back presence over other cats', if only because around them, she felt as relaxed as she did with Eelpaw and Minkpaw. He could be a goof, sure, but so could Eelpaw, and the two often reminded her of each other in that respect.

"What's up, Smokepaw?" Silverpaw asked, pausing to yawn widely, as well as loudly. She couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes a little.

"You have to get up, Silverpaw. Reedstar is pulling all the apprentices into a training session today." She replied, backing away as he shook out his pelt, scattering pieces of moss everywhere.

"This early? What's gotten into him?" He sounded surprised, and Smokepaw wondered faintly if this was the first time Reedstar had ever done something like this.

"Dunno," She replied truthfully, "All I know is that Waspwhisker said that he wanted us all up and out of here."

"Huh. Well, best not keep 'em waiting then, hm? I'll go wake up Tans-" Silverpaw began, but was cut off by a sharp growl from several tail lengths away.

"I _said_ I would come out of the den when I was ready, and I'll wake up when I want to as well! Now for StarClan's sake, leave me alone!" An angry voice spat, and Smokepaw and Silverpaw grimaced at each other. Shellpaw.

The she-cat was known for her hot-headedness, but as she always seemed to be in the mornings if woken up by anyone but her mentor, she was furious. A little ways away, her sister, Tansypaw, was already sitting up, fully alert and looking a little more than irritated at being woken up by her sister's ruckus so rudely.

"Shellpaw, we _have_ to go out now. Reedstar _said_ , you stupid furball!" Eelpaw hissed, ducking to narrowly avoid a cuff over the ears from the older apprentice. They argued back and forth for sometime, Minkpaw interjecting to add that the longer they waited, the later they could end up being, and the angrier their mentors and leader would be. It shouldn't have taken so long for them to all get out of the den, she said, but it didn't seem to help the argument any.

Finally, with a loud huff, Shellpaw whirled aroumd and stalked toward the den's entrance.

"Oh, stuff it, would you Eelpaw? I'll go!" She grumbled irritably, shoving her way out into camp.

Every cat was silent for a moment before they all burst out giggling, even the previously grumpy Eelpaw and Duskpaw.

"I-I guess we ought to g-get out there too!" Silverpaw said between gasping for air due to his laughter, and when all the others nodded, they began to make the trip outside.

The morning had started out a little weird, what with how Reedstar had asked this of them, but it hadn't been all that bad. Judging by things had gone already, Smokepaw didn't doubt that the day would at least be interesting, if not even more funny if Shellpaw kept up the dramatics. Smokepaw felt at ease in the whole group for once, and she felt the need to grin widely.

Perhaps today would be the day she'd start changing into the cat she really wanted to be.


End file.
